Fractional counter



May 1, 1923. 1,453,538

L. BABOS FRACTIONAL COUNTER Filed Nov. 7, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zjwumatoz Laceyfiaboj May 1, 1923. 1,453,538

L. BABOS FRACTIONAL COUNTER Filed Nov. 7 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lac'eyfiazbos atentecl l, 1923.

LACEY BABOS, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNGR TO AJVIEBECAN LIQUID METER GQI ZI- PANY, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, A GURPOIRATION OF WASHINGTON.

FRACTIONAL COUNTER.

Appnzation file-c1 November 7, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, Lsonr Bases, a citizen of the United States. and resident of the city oi Portland. in lvlultnomah County, State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fractional Counters, of which the following is a specification.

Tn machines which have a reciprocating operating part, the output of the machine being controlled thereby or in accordance therewith, and in which the reciprocating part is double-acting-that is, it causes delivery on both strokesit is highly desirable at times to halt the machines operation at some point intermediate the ends of a stroke, and yet to know the exact output of the machine. It is an object of my invention to provide means whereby the output of such a machine, as for instance, a fluid meter, may be accurately determined, irrespective of what part of astroke the reciprocating element may have completed, and following movement in either direction.

More specifically my object is to provide a spindle operatively connected to a counter mechanism and acted upon through movement of the piston of a piston type fluid meter to be rotated in a single direction by the reciprocating movement of the piston in either direction.

My invention comprises those novel parts and combinations thereof which are shown in the accompanying drawings, described in the specification and particularly defined by the claims terminating the same.

In the accompanying drawings T have shown my invention in the form which is now preferred by me.

Figure 1 is an axial section through a piston type meter embodying my invention. parts being broken away or omitted.

Figure 2 is a transverse section through one end of the meter.

lfigure 3 is a'detail section or? a of my mechanism Figure 4 is an axial section through the connection betw e recip piston and the rotating spindle, taken on line of Figure 5.

Figures 5 through the same and 6--$, respectively, l

Serial No. 513,350.

l igure 7 is a section showing a detail of my mechanism.

The particular form of meter with which my device is shown as associated forms no part of my present invention, and may be any which is found suitable. This meter is similar to that shown in Patent No. 1,355,208 to Carlos 5. Bassler. It comprises, briefly, a cylinder 9 within which a piston 90 reciprocates under the influence of the fluid pressure in the meter. Valves. which are not shown herein, regulate the movement or" the piston '90 and determine the point of reversal of its stroke and thereby the output of the meter. Likewise the counting mechanism which I have indicated at 8 may be of any suitable type, being of that general class which is operated by rotation in one direction only. 'This is shown as secured in a trough 91 on the upper side of the cylinder 9 so that it is accessible and easily readable.

A spindle l is mounted preferably parallel to the axis of the cylinder 9. It is shown herein as within the cylinder and pas-sins? through an aperture provided in the piston 90, although it might well be outside of the path of the piston and suitably connected thereto. This spindle 1 is provided with a right-hand groove 10 and a left hand groove 11 extending from end to end and of a pitch preferably equal to the stroke of the piston 90, or a multiple thereof. The exact pitch is determined by the counter 8 to be employed, and the rotational eiiect desired thereupon.

The ends of the spindle are journaled within sleeves 5 which are secured in the heads 92 of the cylinder. i i bevel gear 12 is supported between a bracket 13 and an extension 51 of a sleeve 5 to prevent its movement axially ot the cylinder. The gear 12, as is best shown in Figure 7, is provided with a feather ke 1 which engages within an axially extending slot 15 in the id of the spindle l. The bevel gear 12 niesi .i with a gear 1?, and through other suitabie means connects w a shaft 16 which projects from to be adjus' udinally to co the sprndles no .I. LY, with the st piston 90 for a purpose to be later explained. A stem 52 is threaded in each of the sleeves 5 and is provided with a hardened ball point engaging the end of the spindle 1 and forming the thrust bearing therefor. By adjusting the two stems 52 within their respective sleeves with a screw-driver the position of the spindle 1 within the cylinder is adjusted axially thereof. The outer ends o the sleeves 5 maybe closed with plugs 5+2 desired.

Secured in the aperture in the piston through which the spindle 1 passes is a sleeve 4. This is a close fit Within the aperture of the piston in order to prevent lealtage from one side to the other, thereof. Within the sleeve l are rotatably mounted nuts 2 and 3, the first having a left-handed feather 25 and the other a right-handed feather 35. These two nuts are entirely separate and independent one from the other. The feather 25 is adapted to engage the left hand groove 10 and the feather 35 the right hand groove 11.

A ratchet device connects each'of the nuts 2 and 3 with the sleeve 4. These ratchet devices are oppositely set so that while the nut Q, for instance, is being held against ro-- thereof. Springs 22 and 32 tend to hold their respective dogs in engagement with the shoulders 20.

A the piston 90 reciprocates, it carries the sleeve 4 with it. If, we consider that movement of the piston starts from the position shown in Figure 1 and goes to the left, one of the nuts, as 2 will be held from rotation by engagement of the dog 21 and the shoulder 20. This will cause rotation of the spindle 1 by reason of the engagement of the feather 25 in the groove 10. This rotation of the spindle 1 and the engagement of the feather 35 inthe groove 11 cause reverse rotation of the nut 3. At the end of the piston stroke, however. the shoulder 30 and dog 31 are in position to engage and the reverse movement to the right of the piston 90 causes such engagement and thereby causes rotation of the spindle 1. This time, however, the spindle is acted upon by the right hand nut 3 by movement in the opposite dL rection. so that its rotation will continue in the. same direction as when it was acted upon by the left hand nut 2. The nut 2 in turn will be reversely rotated until at the right hand end of the pistons stroke the shoulder 20 and dog 21 will again be in messes position for engagement and the process will be repeated, the spindle 1 turning always in the same direction. Thus if it is found necessary or desirable to stop the action of the meter at any time, the counter 8 will. register accurately the output of the meter although the piston may not have exactly reached the end of its stroke. \Vhere exact accuracy is desired and particularly where the meter is of large capacity, being able thus to determine the output to the fractional part of the stroke of the piston is a great advantage.

In order that there may be no interference between either of the feathers 25 or 35 and the groove of the other feather, especially where they cross, I have made one of these feathers,- as 25, slightly higher than the other and have made the groove 10 into which it fits slightly deeper than the groove 11. The feather 25, moving in the groove 10, is never deflected or disturbedby the crossing of the groove 11. The feather 35 however, moving in the shallower groove 11., is made sufficiently long that its ends will overlap the crossing of the grooves 10 and 11 so that no interference can result thereby.

The pitch of the grooves 10 and '11 might readily be greater or less than the stroke of the piston 90 and I do not desire to limit myself to a pitch of this length only. Also, a series of shoulders 20 and 30 might be provided each upon its respective nut if this were for any reason desired.

By mounting the spindle 1 so that it is axially adjustable, it is possible. to more exactly position it relative to the stroke of the piston9O and to cause the dog 31 and the shoulder 30 or the dog 21 and the shoulder 20 to come into engagement at the end of a stroke without any appreciable lost motion, and in this manner to increase the accuracy and reliability of the counter.

hat I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination, in a meter having a reciprocable member. mechanism operable by rotation in one direction only, and means operable by'movement of the meter member in either direction for causing rotary movement of the mechanism in the single operating direction.

2. In combination. in a meter having a reciprocable element. a counter operable by rotation in one direction only, and means connecting said meter element and the counter for actuation of the latter. said means including two opposed and independent ratchet devices, and means associated therewith for operating said ratchets alternately.

3. In combination, in a meter having a 'reciprocable element, a counter operable by rotation in one direction only. means connecting said meter element and the counter for actuation of the latter. whereby It (ll)]0- catory movement of the meter element in Lil either direction causes rotary movement of the counter in the actuative direction, parts of said connecting means being adjustable to coordinate it with the stroke of the meter element.

at. lln combination, in a fi'uid meter, :1 reciprocable metering piston, a rotatable spindle having two reversely turned helical grooves, a counter operable by rotation in one direction only, operative connection between said spindle and counter, two nuts, each engageable with its respective one of said grooves and both reciproc-able by movement of said piston, and two independent ratchet connections, one to each of said nuts, and operable to-permit alternate rotation of said nuts in a single direction only.

5a In combination, in a fluid meter, a re oiprocable metering piston having" an aperture therethrou'gh, a rotatable spindle passin through said aperture and having two crossed and reversely turned helical grooves, mechanism operable by rotation in one direction only, and operatively connected to said spindle, and means for eliecting continuous rotation of said mechanism in a single direction, from the piston, comprising-two nuts rotatably mounted in said piston and each engage-able with its respective one of said grooves, and two opposed and independent ratchet connections, each between the piston and its respective nut, whereby one nut is held still to rotate the spindle in the counter-actuating direction, thereby causing reverse rotation of the other nut.

6. in combination, in a fluid meter, an element reciprocable in accordance with the flow of fluid through the meter, a counter, and operative connection between said element and counter to cause the latter to indicate the fractional part of the stroke of element in either direction which has been completed.

Y. In combination, in a fluid meter, a reciprocable metering piston, rotatable spindle having two reversely turned helical grooves, a counter operable by rotation in one direction only, operative connection between said spindle and counter, two nuts, each engageable with its respective one of said grooves and both reciprocable by movement of said piston, and two independent ratchet connections, one to each of said nuts, whereby alternate rotation of said nuts in a single direction only is permitted. and means for adjusting said spindle longitudinally to coordinate it with the piston stroke.

8. In combination, in a fluid meter, a meter element reciprocable in accordance with the flow of fluid through the meter, a counter operable by rotation in one direction only, a rotatable spindle having a righthand and a left hand helical groove. operative connection between said spindle and counter, a sleeve reciprocable by movement of said. reciprocable meter element, two nuts rotatable and relatively axially positioned within said sl eve, and each engageable with its respective one of said grooves, and oppositely facing ratchet means, each ennageable between said sleeve and its respective nut.

9. in combination, in a iluid meter. a meter clement reciprocable in accordance with the liow of fluid through the meter, a counter operable. by rotation in one direction only, a rotatable spindle having a righthand and a left-hand helical groove, operative connection between said spindle and counter, a sleeve reciproc-able by movement of said reciproc-able meter element, two nuts rota-table and axially spaced within said sleeve, and each engageable with its respective one of said grooves, a shoulder upon each nut, the shoulders on the two nuts facingoppositely, and two spring-pressed dogs held in said sleeve against movement relative thereto, and each en n, eable with its respective one of said shoulders.

10, lin a frictional counter for reciprocating, double-acting mechanisn'is, a rotative spindle and two independently rotative nuts movable axially of the spindle, said spindle having right-hand threaded engagement with one ol said nuts and left-hand threaded engagement with the other nut, and means for alternately holding one nut agarnstrotation to rotate the spindle and permi 'zting rotation of the other nut with t e spindle, the nuts are alternately advanced or retracted along the spindle.-

ll. In combination with a reciprocating, double-acti meter, and mechanism controlled thereby and operable by rotation in single direction only, a rot-ati ve spindle operatively connected to said mechanism, two independently rotative nuts movable axially oi the spindle, said spindle having right-hand threaded engagement with one of said nuts and left-hand threaded engagement with the other nut, a sleeve including}, both of said nuts, and two relatively reversed ratchet means connecting said sleeve each with its respective nut, whereby alternately one nut is held against rotation to rotate the spindle and the other nut is permitted to rotate with the spindle, as the nuts are alternately advanced or retracted along the spindle.

12. In combination with a reciprocating, double-actin meter, and mechanism controlled thcreby and operable by rotation in a single direction only, a rotative spindle operativcly connected to said mechanism. the spindle havin, a right-hand and a left-hand helical groove, one of said grooves being oi greatcr depth than the other, and two independently rotative nuts movable axially of the a nd e, and each having a "feather engaging its respective groove, and of a depth corresponding thereto, the shallower feather being of a length greater than the width of material cut away at the erossings of the grooves, and means or alternately holding one nut against rotation to rotate the spindle and permitting rotation of the other nut with the spindle, as the nuts are alternately advanced or retracted along the spindle.

13. In combination, in a. meter having a reciprooable element, mechanism operable by rotation in one direction only and means connecting said meter element. and said mechanism for actuation of the latter, said means. being operahle to eonrert reciprocatin; movement ol the meter element into eontinuous unidirectional rotary movement of the mechanism.

Signed at Portland, illultnomah County. Oregon this 30th day otSeptembe'r. 1921.

LACEY BABOS. 

